My Sweet Lullaby
by regolithheart
Summary: "I will have nightmares about that moment for the rest of my life." / Cresswell One-Shot. / He lurched to his feet. Every night he'd had that horrible nightmare, and every night he longed to go to her. To knock on her door, crawl into bed beside her, listen to her soft breathing, to know that she was okay but every night before he could even reach his own door, he'd stop himself.


Thorne jerked awake. His eyes blinked, adjusting to the dim light around him. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He'd had the same exact nightmare every single night since the day of the Lunar Revolution: shouts of pain, a high eerie cackle, gun shots, a flash of a knife, blood everywhere, and the most beautiful blue eyes he'd ever seen in his entire life pooling with pain, horror, and tears.

He sat up in bed, swinging his legs over so they slammed onto the ground. The impact hit him harder than expected and he hung his head. He breathed in and out slowly trying to clear his mind, but he couldn't shake the image of Cress' terrified face from his vision.

He ran his hands through his hair making it stand up wildly. "Cress … " he whispered.

He lurched to his feet. Every night he'd had that horrible nightmare, and every night he longed to go to her. To knock on her door, crawl into bed beside her, listen to her soft breathing, to know that she was okay but every night before he could even reach his own door, he'd stop himself. He didn't want to be selfish. He didn't want to admit he was afraid.

Thorne knew that Cress' wounds had yet to fully heal, and her body was still sore and sensitive. She had asked him to stay with her the first night she came out of the suspension tube. That night they laid together in Cress' canopied bed at Artemisia Palace, Cress wrapped in his arms as he brushed kisses all over her face and neck and arms. He smiled to himself as she sighed happily.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, fully content, until Thorne had his first nightmare and thrashed awake. Cress cried out in pain beside him as his sudden movements jolted her body. He hovered over her, afraid to touch her as tears slipped down her cheeks. After a moment of heavy breathing, she laid her head back and assured him she was fine. After the third time it happened in the same night, Thorne brushed his fingertips up and down Cress' arm, lulling her to sleep and kissed her forehead softly. He slipped out of the room returning to his own, cold bed.

Every night after that, he would go to her bed, kiss her softly and stroked her hair until she fell asleep before returning to his own room, his own nightmares. The routine continued even though they were now back on the Rampion. They didn't talk about it, both too embarrassed to bring it up and a little too stubborn to ask for help. But tonight, Thorne didn't care. He needed to see her, make sure she was okay, assure himself.

Before he could even reach his own door, he heard a soft singing outside. Poking his head out into the corridor, he could hear that the singing came from the cockpit. The tension in his body instantly fell away. Making his way towards the voice, his breathing became steadier, his muscles relaxed.

He stopped at the cockpit's entrance, leaning against the door frame as he let Cress' voice wash over him. He smiled to himself as he watched her sitting in the pilot's seat, absentmindedly twirling his cane between her fingers.

They had given her a cane in Artemisia Palace when she was able to walk. It was made of regolith and twinkled like the walls of the palace itself. Someone had taken the time to carve criss-crossing vines into the cane's shaft. But as soon as the Rampion was returned to Thorne, he offered Cress his own cane, almost shyly.

Thorne's cane was much simpler than the one Cress was given on Luna. It was actually just a stick, it's top carved into a curved end making it easy to grip, but the days spent in the desert had made the wood polished and smooth. Cress also liked running her fingers on the knicks and scars cut into the wood. Some were mere scratches, others were deep gauges. They reminded her that they all survived a revolution. She had survived crash landing in a great desert, survived being kidnapped, and infiltrating a palace, kidnapping an emperor, overthrowing a queen. It reminded her that she found friends, a family, a home.

Cress' singing stopped and Thorne's eyes fluttered open. He hadn't even realized he had closed them. He looked up and saw her looking at him.

"Hi Captain," she said quietly.

He stepped towards her. "Cress … I … I heard you singing so I … " He suddenly looked embarrassed and rubbed his hands along the back of his neck.

Cress reached out to him and he obligingly slipped his hand into hers. "I couldn't sleep either."

Thorne walked over to the co-pilot's seat and sat down, not letting go of Cress' hand. They sat there silently, arms stretched out between them, looking out of the giant viewing windows into the blackness beyond.

Cress absentmindedly stroked Thorne's knuckles with the pad of her thumb. "Is it the nightmares?" She asked him timidly.

Thorne sighed, pulling his free hand down his face. "Yeah."

Cress squeezed his hand. "I could … I could come sing to you. In bed. If you think that would help."

Thorne turned to her and saw her blushing. His heart swelled. He flashed her a grin which made her blush even more.

"But Cress, how would you ever be able to keep your hands off me?"

She rolled her eyes at him which made him throw his head back with a hearty laugh. He reached over and squeezed her knee gently.

"That's very sweet of you, Cress. But you know once I fall asleep with you in my arms, I wouldn't be able to let you go." He smiled sweetly at her, but his eyes grew dark almost instantly. "You're still hurt and … "

"I'm not hurt anymore!" She interrupted him. "Well, I mean I'm still a little sore, but I'm nearly all healed. I can even do jumping jacks!"

Thorne looked at her amused. "Jumping jacks?!"

Cress stood up, hands on her hips. "Yes! Jumping jacks. I even challenge you to a jumping jacks competition!"

Thorne couldn't wipe the amusement from his face. He stood up slowly, moving to position himself in front of Cress who had already made her way to the back of the cockpit, giving them more space. He made a big show of stretching, bending his legs and arms, and hopping in one place to warm up.

Cress eyed him, arms crossed in front of her. She puffed at a strand of hair falling in front of her face which amused Thorne even more. He held his hands in front of him surrendering as she pursed her lips.

"Okay. Ready?"

Cress nodded at him determined, and they both began to count together as they jumped up and down, splaying their arms in the air. Thorne could not believe they were having a jumping jack competition in the middle of the night, in their pajamas. Or maybe he could. Cress was always able to surprise him.

When they reached eight jumping jacks, they heard a growl coming from the entrance. Wolf's eyes were wild, his hair even more so.

"Will you both _shut up_? Some of us are trying to sleep!" He grumbled and turned on his heels, making his way back to his and Scarlet's room.

Thorne let out another hearty laugh and reached for Cress who tried to keep in her laughter and was failing to do so spectacularly. Wolf let out another growl and they both tried their hardest to stifle their giggles, Cress doubled over in silence, her hand covering her mouth. Thorne grabbed Cress' hand and pulled her close to him, circling her in his arms and holding her close to his chest.

"Where those _tomatoes_ on his boxers?!" Thorne asked, his chuckles finally subsiding.

Cress punched his arm playfully. "I think it's cute! Scarlet bought them for him."

Thorne raised his eyebrow. "Oh really? And when are you going to start buying _me_ lingerie?"

Cress looked up at him, scrunching her face. "When you finally have the body for it," she teased.

Thorne faked shock and stepped back from her. He lifted up his shirt to reveal perfectly sculpted abs and looked at her. Her cheeks flushed bright pink and he dropped his shirt, chucking again. Again he pulled her into his arms. This time he held her silently, swaying to music neither of them could hear.

Cress laced her fingers with his and he spun her around. She squealed before clamping her hand over her mouth, laughter in her eyes.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your room." Thorne said as he took Cress' hand.

They walked the short distance from the cockpit to Cress' door in silence, but when Thorne made to stop, Cress kept on walking pulling him along with her. They walked into the captain's quarters, Cress still leading the way as she climbed into his bed. She scooted over and waited for him.

Thorne hesitated.

"It's okay, Captain. I'll be fine. I'm stronger than I look."

He smiled at her because he knew no truer words have ever been spoken. She was the strongest and bravest person he knew and where as before he was afraid to admit that he might not have been as strong or as brave, looking into the deep blue of her eyes, he knew it was okay to let her be strong and brave for the both of them when he needed it.

He crawled into bed next to her and looked at her intensely, trying to pull that serene face with him into his dreams. She smiled at him, and brushed her fingertips across his forehead, pushing the hair back from his face. His mouth curved into the one-sided, dimpled smiled that she loved so much and she couldn't help but lean in to kiss it.

Cress began to hum the Lunar lullaby that had mesmerized him in the desert. The one she was named after. Thorne let himself drift to sleep, and when he woke in the middle of the night, panic washing over him he felt a warm and familiar figure beside him. Her hand resting softly on his chest.

Cress stirred. She lifted her head to kiss his temple softly, then stroked his cheek. She began to hum the soft lullaby again. Thorne clutched her hand and let himself relax. He closed his eyes, this time he was not afraid to fall asleep.


End file.
